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BLUE JACKETS RE-SIGN DEFENSEMAN FRANCOIS BEAUCHEMIN

by
Staff Writer
/ Columbus Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed defenseman Francois Beauchemin to a two-year contract, club President and General Manager Doug MacLean announced today. As is club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Beauchemin, 25, appeared in 72 games last season for the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch, recording three goals and 27 assists for 30 points along with 55 penalty minutes and a team-best +17 plus/minus rating. His 30 points were tops among Syracuse defensemen and marked his second consecutive 30-point season in the AHL. In 336 career AHL games the Sorel, Quebec native has posted 30-92-122 with 336 penalty minutes. He has also played in one NHL game, Feb. 27, 2003 for Montreal against Minnesota.

The 6'0, 214-pound defenseman was acquired by Columbus off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 14, 2004. Beauchemin was named to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Second Team All-Star unit in his final season of junior hockey. He recorded 19-67-86 with Acadie-Bathurst and Moncton in 1999-2000. Over the course of his junior career, he registered 42-140-182 in 238 career QMJHL games. He was also a member of the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 1997 with Laval.

Blue Jackets season tickets, mini-plans and group tickets for 2005-06 are on sale now. For information, call (614) 246-PUCK or (800) NHL-COLS. Individual game tickets to regular season games go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 16.